This week I was thrilled by the Shine Project! The goal was to leave sticky notes with positive messages in random public places. I was so excited that I made up sticky notes in advance and carried them in my purse waiting for the chance to use them!
1. says: "You are stronger than you know" and was posted at a local park in the shower stalls
2. I planted on the toll booth as I collected my ticket, it reads "Never, never, never give up."
3. Reads "Dream Big" and I placed it inside a bathroom stall in a county office building!
It was important to me as I did this to be as secretive as possible. I didn't want anyone to see me doing it, first reason being the obvious questions. But I truly wanted them to be a random surprise to a stranger, who would never know who left the note. At each location as I walked away I contemplated who might see it and be inspired, given hope, or just smile!
1. Reads "you are more beautiful than you know," I placed this on the mirror in the bathroom of my office building. Unfortunately my co-workers figured out that it was me!
2. Was placed in an elevator at a mental health services building and reads "I believe in you." There were security guards in the lobby and I was terrified I'd be caught and arrested! so silly!
3. Reads "You can do anything!" and was also placed in an elevator.
If you've ever gone through a rough period, had a bad day, or just contemplated a big decision, you may have wished for a message, a loving hand or even just a smile. I hope that at least one of these notes does that for someone in need of the message.
When my Director told me she had guessed that I left the note behind at our office she told a story she heard from a pastor. A man who was in need of human connection, a loving gaze, or just a nod of acknowledgment was so distraught that he decided to jump from a bridge in desperation. He wrote a note explaining his isolation and stated that if even one person smiled at him on his way to that bridge he would turn around and not go through with it. Apparently not one person smiled...all that was left of him was the note he left behind.
We never know the impact a simple smile, or a loving note or kind word could have on someone. If we embrace every opportunity for connection and respond to others with kindness we impact them and ourselves forever!
I think I'm going to continue to do this, I still have a stack of notes I want to use and more I'd like to write. Give it a shot yourself, it really is an amazing experience!
